New sites offered for farmers market

Last updated 05:00 27/02/2014

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The embattled Southern Farmers Market has been thrown multiple lifelines with offers of potential new sites rolling in.

Southern Farmers Market chairwoman Mary Adams said the market, which faces eviction from its Southland Boys' High School site by the Ministry of Education, had been flooded with offers of alternative options after a report in The Southland Times.

The market committee received a letter from Southland Boys' High School in November, saying the Ministry of Education had decided schools could not be used for profit-making activities and the market would have to move. The group had been given three months' notice to find another venue, but had since been granted an extension to stay until the end of next month.

Ms Adams said a market subcommittee was set up after last weekend's market to look at all the options. A new site needs to have an indoor and outdoor venue to provide for summer and winter conditions, suitable parking, power for stall-holders to plug into, a kitchen to store fresh produce, and disabled access, she said.

The Invercargill City council had been "very co-operative", and the Scottish Hall and adjoining car park was a potential site, but the committee was still looking at all options, she said.